


A bridge to cross

by EllieStormfound



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Anxiety, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Geraskier, Geraskier Fluff, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, M/M, but not unwelcome, consensual use of axii, jaskier is afraid of heights, no beta we die like witchers, there may be kissing, unplanned declaration of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:07:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26701147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieStormfound/pseuds/EllieStormfound
Summary: In wich Geralt and Jaskier come upon a bridge over a Ravine and Jaskier is scared, so Geralt has to help him cross the bridge. Jaskier maybe shows more of his feelings than he had planned... :)
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 20
Kudos: 187





	A bridge to cross

“I can’t go over this,” Jaskier said, voice a pitch higher than usual. They were standing near the edge of a ravine with a roaring river about 20 meters below them and the bard was pointing at a small bridge knotted together by ropes and wooden planks. It reached from their side in a graceful downward arch to the other side. On second glance it did look a bit old and frail.

“Why not?” asked Geralt in his deep voice. 

The other man was shaking his head, arms crossed in front of his chest. 

Geralt had felt Jaskier’s heartbeat spike a second before he had stopped dead in his tracks. 

“Can’t we go around?” he asked unsure.

“That would mean a detour of two days,” Geralt said, shaking his head, “and since when are you afraid of heights? Didn’t you tell me you like to climb onto the clocktower of Oxenfurt?”

“Ah, you actually listen to me,” he replied, “yes, I did in fact tell you that. But the difference is, my dear witcher, that the clocktower is a sturdy building made of stone and mortar and doesn’t wiggle when you walk up the steps.”

Geralt rolled his eyes. “Come on, bard, pull yourself together, we will be on the other side in a minute.”

Jaskier took a step back from him, “I’m afraid I can't…” The sour smell of fear waved over to the witcher.

“You could just hit me unconscious and carry me over,” Jaskier offered, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the bridge, not letting his eyes linger there, as if just looking at it was enough for his rising panic. 

Geralt looked stern and shook his head. 

“Jaskier, it’s just a bridge, it won’t break,” he said.

“I...just look at it,” the bard replied without looking at it, “that can’t be safe. We should make an official complaint to the lord of this forest! It’s their responsibility to keep roads and bridges in order. Geralt, this is really a scandal, don’t you think? Maybe I should write a song about the poor quality of this bridge…” Jaskier knew that he was rambling and stopped as he heard Geralt sigh.

“I crossed this bridge with Roach a hundred times already, it’s fine.”

“But what if it breaks this time?” he asked, looking down at his boots, “I am way too pretty to die.”

Geralt smiled weakly and said with a heavy sigh, “I will bring Roach over first and then I will come back for you.”

With a sharp intake of breath Jaskier said, “promise you will come back to me?”

Geralt just looked at him, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t like to repeat himself. As he turned to his horse, Jaskier’s arm shot out and grabbed Geralt’s shoulder. Even though his leather armor he could feel the bard’s frantic heartbeat.

“You know I don’t lie,” Geralt grunted, “I will be right back.”

And he was. Jaskie had tried to watch them cross the ravine, only managing a glimpse or two, but he saw something that gave him an idea. 

“Geralt,” Jaskier called as the other returned, “the thing you did to Roach on the bridge to calm her, the sign,” he waved his hand in a very bad imitation, “do that to me.”

“Absolutely not,” Geralt answered with a stern look, “I only use axii on people in very serious situations. Mind control is no child’s play...”

“But I ask you to do it, I trust you, and besides, this is a very serious situation.” 

Geralt looked at his bard, hands nervously fidgeting with the buttons of his doublet, a few beads of sweat on his unusually pale forehead, one foot tapping on the floor and his lower lip between his teeth. 

Without thinking Geralt made a step towards Jaskier, reached over, stroking his thumb over Jaskier’s bottom lip, gently pulling it out from between his teeth and said, “stop biting your lip, you’ll only hurt yourself..”

A moment later his hand was gone and he made a step back with a shake of his head, bringing distance between them as he realized what he had done. He looked over to the bridge but turned around to the bard as he stayed suspiciously silent. Jaskier looked to the floor, lips slightly parted, cheeks turning pink.

Geralt cleared his throat and said, “let’s try to walk over together, I walk in front of you, facing you and you don’t look down, but at me.”

“And if that is not working?” Jaskier asked barely audible, “I need to know what we do if that is not working.”

Geralt sighed deeply and said, “then I’ll use axii, but only as a last resort.”

The bard breathed in deeply, looked up at Geralt and said, “okay,” with more determination than he felt. 

They made their way towards the bridge. “Can you hold my hand?” Jaskier asked and Geralt reached over to take his right hand into his left.

“Hold on to the railing with the other one,” he said calmly as he gently squeezed the bard’s sweaty hand. 

They made a few steps and Geralt could see Jaskier’s eyes flicking around. 

“Jaskier, look at me.”

With a nervous laugh the bard replied, “I’m sorry but even your gorgeous eyes cannot distract me from the 20 meter drop.”

Geralt could see tears in Jaskier’s eyes, nodded and asked him, “axii then?”

“Yes, please!” He looked him in the eyes, made a complicated gesture with his hand and said, “Jaskier, don’t be afraid.”

The bard didn’t remember if Geralt said anything more, but all his anxiety was gone. He couldn’t remember why he had been so afraid just a moment ago. It was a lovely day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, he could hear the delightful noise of the river below him. He smiled at Geralt, who was looking at him closely and said, “what are you waiting for, my dear witcher? Let’s get on moving.” 

Nodding, the witcher let go of Jaskier’s hand, turned around and started walking at a slow pace, careful not to shake the bridge too much. 

They crossed without further incident. 

They walked over to Roach and Geralt busied himself checking her over. 

Jaskier eyed him with a wide smile and said fondly, “gods, I love you.”

Geralt whirled around and said, “what?”

“I..” the smiling bard started to say but was interrupted by Geralt, “no, stop, don’t say that again, you are still under the influence of axii.” Geralt looked mortified, but the bard didn’t stop smiling, looking just a bit puzzled, nodded and said, “yes, my love.”

They walked for a while till Geralt felt Jaskier stop abruptly and turned around. Eyes wide and hands in front of his open mouth, Jaskier looked at him. “Oh...did I...did I just say that I…”

“Yes,” Geralt said between gritted teeth.

He breathed in and out deeply and continued, “I am sorry, that is why I didn’t want to use axii, you never know how it affects people, I should have thought better at how I phrase it…” Now he was rambling.

Slowly Jaskier raised his hand as if to stop him speaking, but then put it on the back of his head, fingers weaving through his hair and said silently, “I wasn’t afraid anymore...so it just slipped out.”

Geralt breathed in sharply, eyes wide and he asked, looking down, “you are afraid? Of me?”

“No,” Jaskier said quickly but softly, “not of you, never of you. Of your reaction.” 

Geralt’s head snapped up and he asked in astonishment, “did you mean it? What you said?”

Jaskier sighed softly, “of course.” And with a smile he replied, “are you really surprised? I thought you knew that already, I am not really subtle…” His cheeks and ears had turned a beautiful shade of pink and Geralt made a step towards him. 

“Are you mad at me because I used axii on you?” he asked. His brows were knitted together and he felt his heart beat hard and fast. Why was he suddenly so nervous?

“No, why would I be? I begged you to do it and you made me cross that bridge without accidentally fainting from panic…”

“Jaskier, I…” Geralt had made another step towards his bard and was now close enough to count every tiny freckle on his nose. The sour tang of fear was completely gone, he could only smell the familiar scent of Jaskier. The bard looked up into Geralt’s golden eyes with his impossibly blue ones. There was such a vulnerable and open expression on his face, bearing his heart, trustfully laying it into Geralt’s hands. 

The witcher breathed in slowly and carefully placed his hand on the bard’s pink cheek. Tenderly he stroked Jaskier’s bottom lip with his thumb, smiling shyly.

“Jaskier, look at me,” he said and when the bard did, “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think of this fic!  
> Who else isn't particularly fond of heigts and shaky bridges?


End file.
